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Silicon Valley execs highlight tech's equality problem
Silicon Valley is slowly taking steps to address its diversity and equality issues, but oftentimes this problem is spoken as if just hiring from a wider pool of people will solve everything. There is another issue, which is centered around the toxic bro culture that appears to permeate swathes of the technology industry. That's why a group of prominent women decided to conduct a survey that highlights the indignities that they face on a regular basis. The project polled around 200 people, each of whom has at least 10 years experience in the technology industry, and the results make you wonder if we're still living in the 1950s.
Pinterest hires its first diversity chief
The US tech industry has had some success in diversifying its workers, but many companies know there's still more work to be done... including those that hadn't made it a high priority until recently. Pinterest has hired its first head of diversity, Candice Morgan, to build initiatives that will shake up the social site's workforce. She isn't the beginning of the company's efforts, as it set goals last summer and just started diversity-minded apprenticeship and internship programs. However, Morgan may be the key to coordinating and ramping up those programs.
Intel is taking its fight against GamerGate even further
The most important news from last year's CES was Intel's $300 million response to GamerGate, the caustic online movement that targeted women with vicious harassment. But talk is cheap, even with that high of a price-tag on it. How has the tech titan fared since that announcement? Some 43 percent of its new hires were women and underrepresented minorities since, CEO Brian Krzanich said near the end of the company's media briefing.
2015 diversity report card
It's no question that the tech industry is made up overwhelmingly of men. And as far as ethnicities go, whites and Asians tend to dominate the field. Given the enormous impact of tech on our daily lives, this lack of diversity is troubling. Diversity isn't just about making sure these companies represent the population they serve, it's just plain good business -- studies have shown time and again that a more diverse workforce results in better decisions and increased profits. Fortunately, tech companies realize this too. Last year, several of them released employee diversity reports for the first time, finally revealing to the world just how unbalanced their staffs are. Some also made bold promises to increase employee diversity. In 2015, most of those companies released a follow-up report (Amazon is the one notable exception that failed to publish a follow-up report in 2015. We've reached out for comment and will update if we receive a response). Promises are all well and good, but what really matters is results. For this report, we chose five companies that have proclaimed their commitment to diversity -- Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Twitter -- but, of course, we know there are more. These are simply the firms we think are the most recognizable and most influential. This is not a comprehensive look at the entire tech industry. It's also worth considering the number of minorities in the U.S. and Canada who are enrolled in computer science degree programs. According to a 2014 study by the Computing Research Association of 121 U.S. and Canadian universities, 4.1 percent of computer science undergraduates were black; 7.7 percent were Hispanic; and 58 percent were white. A total of 86 percent were men. The trend was similar for master's and doctoral programs. The inclusion of Canadian universities muddies the waters somewhat as far as national numbers go, but it does indicate that there's a limited pool of potential recruits. It's clear, then, that the problem has as much to do with the pipeline of new recruits -- how are companies supposed to hire more women and minorities if there aren't any? -- as it does with the industry as a whole. We have to understand and accept that the percentage of eligible recruits doesn't reflect the ethnic makeup of the U.S. in the first place. How we grade First, it's important to see how much the numbers have improved from year to year and if the five big tech companies met their diversity goals. It would be ideal to see the makeup of the companies and their leadership more accurately reflect the population of the country. The CIA World Factbook notes that the world is roughly 50 percent male and female (or a 1.01 ratio) while the gender breakdown of the U.S. is that of a 1.05 ratio, which means there are slightly more men than women. The ethnic breakdown of the U.S. is: .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;}.tg td{font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;}.tg th{font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:normal;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;}.tg .tg-yzt1{background-color:#efefef;vertical-align:top}.tg .tg-yw4l{vertical-align:top} White Asian Hispanic Black Mixed Other USA population 79.96% 4.43% 15.1% 12.85% 1.61% 1.15% We're also taking into account any initiatives or programs tech companies have implemented to help rectify the diversity gap in both their companies and the community at large. A more aggressive push would generally result in a higher grade, as would a strong public stance. Here's how we'll break down the grading: A third of the score will be based on how diverse the company is currently. Another third will be based on the company's efforts to diversify its workforce. The last third will be based on what efforts, if any, the company is making to create diversity at large in the industry. Disclaimer We recognize that our grading system isn't perfect. But that's mostly because it's based on imperfect circumstances. No, none of these companies hire enough women and traditionally underrepresented minorities. But that's also partly because of the "pipeline" problem that makes it difficult to find qualified recruits who are members of these groups in the first place. This is why we're putting so much emphasis on companies' intention to diversify the future, not just the present. It's also worth noting that while we're using the percentage of computer science graduates as a benchmark for tech jobs, we recognize that there are also women and ethnic minorities who are tech-industry veterans who may not be gainfully employed at these particular companies. Therefore the pool of available candidates is potentially much larger than what's reflected here. Additionally, all of these firms filed Equal Employment Opportunity reports (EEO-1) for 2014, but have not yet done so for 2015, as EEO-1 reports are usually filed for the previous year. The numbers for 2015 have therefore been culled from the companies' own websites and not from the government mandated EEO-1 reports. EEO-1 reports are typically not made public, but these tech companies have chosen to make them known for transparency's sake. Additionally, Apple and other companies have noted that the EEO-1 employment classifications have "not kept pace" with the times -- the EEO-1 differentiates between "professionals" and "technicians," for example, whereas in a lot of tech companies, the lines between the two blur. In all instances, gender data is global while ethnicity data is US only. This is simply how all companies track this data as a general rule. [Image credit: Shutterstock]
Twitter slammed for hiring Apple's (white) head of diversity
Twitter is one of the Silicon Valley companies most criticized for a lack of diversity, and its latest hire isn't helping that image. The company recently announced that Jeffrey Siminoff will replace Janet Van Huysse as vice president of diversity and inclusion. Siminoff, who is white and male, was previously Apple's head of diversity and is a strong promoter of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights. However, the move was criticized by diversity proponents like Mark S. Luckie, who didn't take issue with Siminoff himself, but rather the decision. "Not saying a white guy can't be head of diversity, but for a company that hires a majority white guys [sic] it sends the wrong message," he tweeted.
Developer diversity changes the way video games are made
In 2003, BioWare developers working on Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic hid a fact about one of the game's characters from their own marketing team. This character, the Jedi Knight Juhani, happened to be female and she also happened to be gay. Developers weren't sure how players would receive that trait. "I think for a long time it was just assumed that nobody would accept it," BioWare lead writer David Gaider said in 2013. Even in the final game, Juhani's sexuality is vague. "We kind of hid it," Gaider continued. "She never says, 'She was my lover.' She just says, 'We are very close.'"
Tech has a diversity problem, and that problem is culture
I've heard it before and so have you. We need more women in tech. We need more minority engineers. Everyone from Jesse Jackson and even President Obama has made a call for more inclusive policies in tech companies. But it still hasn't happened. You need only look at the recent numbers released by Google, Facebook and Apple to see that white men still top the charts when it comes to their employee count. It all seems hopeless. Leslie Miley, who was the only black engineer in a leadership position at Twitter up until a couple of weeks ago, must have felt so too. In a blog post on Medium, he explained that he left the company because he felt defeated in his efforts in trying to increase and encourage company diversity. The problem: Culture.
Tim Cook says Apple will learn from discrimination seen in Australia store
A video hit the web this week showing Apple store employees in Melbourne, Australia, kicking out a group of black teenagers because security was worried "they might steal something." In the video, the teens (from Sudan and Somalia) repeatedly question the employees' concerns, but the only response they receive is, "End of discussion. I need to ask you to leave our store." Apple swiftly apologized and a senior manager from the site visited the students involved to assure them they were welcome at the store. Apple CEO Tim Cook sent an email to employees calling the incident "unacceptable," asserting the company's commitment to inclusivity and pledging to re-train its leadership in stores worldwide (as unearthed by Buzzfeed). "While I firmly believe that this was an isolated incident rather than a symptom of a broader problem in our stores, we will use this moment as an opportunity to learn and grow," he writes.
New website showcases profiles of people of color working in tech
One way to address the lack of diversity in tech is to expose kids to computer science as early as possible. That's exactly what Ruth Mesfun is doing. She studied how to teach CS, so she could conjure up a curriculum and launch a new class for the Excellence Girls Middle Academy, an all-girls, majority-black middle school in Brooklyn. She has also created a website called "People of Color in Tech" with her developer friend Michael Berhane, so her kids can find role models to look up to. The website features interviews of engineers, designers and other people of color in the industry, and Mesfun and Berhane hope to to add two more profiles every week.
Facebook site helps start your programming career
Facebook knows that it can't hire a more diverse workforce unless there's a broader interest in computer science, and it just launched a website to help that happen. TechPrep provides resources to learners (and parents) who are curious about programming, but might not know where to start. It suggests services and gadgets based on your age, skill, and what you're looking for. If you're a teen just starting out, you'll be pointed toward a simple programming language like Scratch. Come to the site as an adult with a bit of experience, meanwhile, and you may see a link to Arduino boards instead. It's a small effort, but it could mean a lot if it starts you on a coding career that you wouldn't have considered otherwise. [Image credit: AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki]
Twitter publicly announces goals for hiring diversity in 2016
It may have taken a while, but major tech companies are finally making diverse hiring more of a priority. To that end, Twitter has publicly announced its diversity goals for 2016 in an effort to hold itself more accountable going forward. Worldwide, the company wants 35 percent of its employees to be women in 2016, with 16 percent of "tech" roles and 25 percent of leadership roles to be held by women. Today, the company reported that 34 percent of its workforce was women, with 13 percent of its tech roles and 22 percent of its leadership roles held by women. Twitter's 2016 goals are pretty modest increases over what its reporting now, but it's still one of the few major tech companies making such goals public.
Intel pledges money to train potential Navajo code writers
Earlier this year, Intel promised to make an effort to hire more women and minorities, and by the looks of things, the company's making good on its word. Its latest move? Pledging $250,000 per year for three years to three Navajo Nation high schools in Arizona, in hopes of inspiring kids to become coders. Intel engineer Jolene Bengay (above) announced the company's project during an event honoring the Navajo code talkers of World War II. "We know that if we're really going to fill in the (talent) pipeline," said Intel's Diversity initiative deputy director Barbara McAllister, "we need to aggressively address the gaps in that talent."
Apple hired more women, but still has a huge gender gap
Apple's largely white guy workforce isn't going to change overnight, but the company made strides this year, according to its latest diversity report. After promising changes in June, Tim Cook said "we're working hard to expand our recruiting efforts, so we continue to hire talented people from groups that are currently underrepresented in the industry." Globally, it hired 11,000 women over the past year compared to around 6,500 this year before. The company also took on 50 percent more black employees and 66 percent more Hispanics in the US over the same period. That's positive, but Apple is still 69 percent male and 55 percent white, just a percent better than last year.
Apple team-up promises more diversity among tech interns
Apple knows that improving the diversity of its workforce doesn't just depend on hiring more workers, or dishing out scholarships -- it also has to recruit a wider range of interns that could eventually become permanent staff. To that end, it's partnering with the career accelerator Code2040 to offer paid internships to black and Latino college students. Apple will start by taking on 10 of the 80 computer science fellows in Code2040's 2016 class, and will pick up two more interns beyond that.
Intel says its employee diversity efforts are paying off
Intel vowed to increase the diversity of its workforce earlier this year, and there are signs that it's already making good on that promise. The chip designer has published a mid-year diversity report which shows that it's not only hiring more women and minorities, but that the overall representation is improving. About 43.3 of its new American hires this year are from these underrepresented groups (higher than the 40 percent goal for 2015), and their ratios are higher both among executives and the rank-and-file. At first glance, strategies such as referral bonuses, pay equity audits and support groups are paying off.
Microsoft and Netflix help diversity by offering more parental leave
There are a few ways to increase the number of women working at tech companies. Intel is offering referral bonuses, for example, while other firms are trying more inclusive hiring policies. However, many companies don't do much to accommodate parenthood -- how are you supposed to feel welcome when you might have to take unpaid time off (or worse, quit) just to raise your newborn child? Microsoft and Netflix are clearly aware of that problem, though, as they're boosting the level of paid parental leave offered to both mothers and fathers.
Intel tackles diversity problem through referral bonuses
If the Ellen Pao case showed us anything, it's that Silicon Valley is still very much a (white) boy's club. In response a number of industry leaders including Apple, IBM, and Google, have pledged anywhere from $50 million to $300 million to boost the level of diversity in their workplaces. Intel is the latest firm to address the issue by doubling the referral bonus for any employee that successfully recruits a female, minority or veteran into the company to a whopping $4000. This is part of Intel's $300 million pledge to diversify its workforce.
White House Demo Day focuses on diversity
When the White House hosts a Demo Day, tech entrepreneurs come out to play. The Obama administration kicked off its first ever showcase for startups today. It isn't your typical day of demonstrations and matchmaking that brings entrepreneurs closer to prospective funders. Instead, it's about pushing for much-needed diversity in the largely homogenous tech world. As such, the innovators showcasing their stories directly to POTUS come from diverse backgrounds. According to the site, "these stories exemplify how we can 'grow the pie' by including all Americans in our innovation economy."
Tim Cook says diversity is the future of Apple
Tim Cook has pledged that Apple's future won't be as white and male as it has been in the company's past. The CEO sat down with Mashable in advance of the WWDC keynote to say that diversity is the "future of our company." It's not just hand-wringing that has prompted his attitude, since he believes that "the most diverse group will produce the best product." The executive has added that the tech community needs to work a lot harder to show women that the industry is "cool" and "how much fun it can be."
Google boosts employee diversity but is still mostly white guys
As of the start of this year, 53,600 people work for Google full-time. Too many of those workers, according to the company's detractors and its own assessment a year ago, are male, and white or Asian. In order to counter this gap, Google has looked for ways to boost female and minority hiring. Per its just updated diversity report, 21 percent of the company's technical hires last year were female. However that translates into just a 1 percent increase in the total number of women hired to technical positions. Women in general constitute just 30 percent of Google's employees. Additionally, the onboarding rates for both Black and Hispanic hires increased faster than the company's overall growth for the year but still only constitute 2 and 3 percent of the company's entire workforce, respectively.
